What: a department store offering tests to employees to ensure safety

Why it is important: many businesses had to deal with their teams and employees’ safety this year and protect them from the virus, whether through isolation and remote working or by providing them protecting gear. Now John Lewis is going further by implementing a test centre at one of its distribution centre.

Thanks to a partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, John Lewis Partnership was able to introduce rapid covid testing at Milton Keynes distribution centre. Testing is voluntary and provides results within 30 minutes that are directly recorded into the national testing database.

The centre is full of employees as the end of the year is a busy timing, with Black Friday and the Christmas orders. With around 1 in 3 individuals with Covid-19 not displaying symptoms, testing helps to protect staff and customers by identifying those that need to isolate.

If this pilot project turns into a success, it should roll out to more John Lewis and Waitrose centres including supply chain sites, customer fulfilment centres, textiles factory and some shops.

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[video] John Lewis Partnership Rapid Covid-19 Testing